Railroad-crossing.



atente Sian, -25, 19M.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR.

Lg SDLEH (il Px. C. GECKLER.

RAXLROD CROSSING.

APPLICANOH mi@ Nov. 9, m4.

TTES

LUTHER SADLER AND ROBERT C.' GEGKLER, OE OAKLAND. CALIFORNIA.

BAILROADCROSSIN G.

Specification of Letters Patent.I

Patented dan. 25, 19MB.

Application filed November 9, 1914. Serial No. 871,016.

To al?, whom t may concern.:

Be it linown that we. lavniu Simian and Reinier C. (ncitmiu. citizens ot the l'nited States. and residents op Oakland. county ot Alameda. and State of California. have invented certain new and useful improvements in Railroad-Crossings. ot which the ollowinfbr is a specification.

rl`he invention relates to railroad crossings at which one railroad track crosses another and is particularly adapted to the use ot street railways.

@ne ot' the objects ot' the invention is to prei 3 a crossing for street railways which shall `n ie the car-wheels an unbroken passage theroover.

Another object ot the invention is to provide a simple and sturdy construction which posse small liability to become out ot' order.

notli obliert ot the invention is to provide crossing inmchanisni which may be operated by the railwayY cars only,

The invention possesses other advantageous Jfeatures which with the Jforegoing'. will he set forth at length in the followingy description whrre we shall outline in full that torni ot' the invention which we have selected 'tor illustration in the drawings acwinpanying and formingl part ot the present specitication.

rlhe novelty oit the invention will be included in the claims following said description` Froni this it will be apparent that we .flo notl liinit. oin'selves to the showing made by said drawings and description we may adopt variations within the scope ot our invention as set forth in said claims.

Alef'errinj'.: to said drawingszliigure 1 is a plan view ot a four-track crossing, several of tht rails being: broken awav to disclose the operative. parts and to reduce the size of the ligure. Fig.

Q is a vertical section taken on the line i12- a1 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view ot' a portion ot a rail showing the operating parts. the turntable or rotatable member beingl shown in section. Fg. l is a cross section ot a rail taken on tlhe line sli- Fig. Fig. 5 is a cross section ot a rail taken on the line l B Fig. c. Fig. 6 is a 'side view of a portion ot a rail and car truck disclosing one manner of actuating the opa'ating mechanism. Fie: 7 is a plan view ot one rail intersection.

In railway crossings as heretofore consti-noted. a transverse 'groove or slot must be provided in each rail to allow the llange on the wheel ot' a car traveling on the crossing rail to pass and this break in the rail thread causes the car to receive a decided jar which not only subjects the car to wear` and tear'hut materially shortens the lite ot the crossing. To obviate these detects means have been heretofore provided whereby a grooved mcznber'is positioned at the intersection ot each two rails which is rotatable so that the groove in the member isbronght into alinement with the grooves ot the abutting rails in a direction corresponding with that ot the passingv ear or train. In the latter construction it frequently happens that vehicles other than the railway cars not onlyY ride over the rail tread. but also ride in the groove, and these vehicles operate the turntables at inopportuno moments and result in inconvenience or disaster. ln aeeordanee with the present invention we provide a separate longitudinal groove in a portion ot the rail. which groove is of such width as to exclude the entry ot wheels ot vehicles and will only permit the reception ol. a suitable actuating member secured to the railway car. v

ln Fig. l we have shown a ountrael crossing, the rails Q. 3: 4 and 5 extending in one direction and the rails (l, T, S, 9 extending;A in another direction and crossing the first set ot rails. rThe rails 2, 3, form track l); the rails 4. 5, track E; the rails 7, trat-lt F and the rails S, 9, track G.

At the intersection of each two rails. the rails are welded together or a steel casing is formed integral with the rails to reinforce they `ioint. or as shown in the present instance. the intersecting rails are welded to the steel casino' 1Q. The rails shown are groom-d rails. but it is to be understood that the. invention is applicable to all types ot railswhether or not they are provided with a groove for the flange of the wheel.

llaen casing l2 is cylindrical in torni and seated therein is a turntable or rotatable ineinber 13. which is provided on its upper surlace with a tread portion 141 and a groove 15 through which the ange of the moving wheel passes. One of these turntables is arranged at the intersection of each two rails and the turntables are so arranged that they may be rotated about vertical axes so that the tread and groove thereot` will register with the tread and groove portions of either set of rails. That is'the turntable may be turned so that th-e tracks D and E present continuous rails or so that the tracks I" and G present continuous rails.

The turntable 13 is provided with a centrally located shank 1G projecting downwardly therefrom and at the lower extremity of which is securedy a circular late 17 arranged toA overlie the bottom o the easing so that any foreign matter which gains entrance to the interior of the 'casing falls on theplate and isdischarged over the periphery thereof. TheA dirt finds a ready exit through one or more downward sloping apertures 18 provided at the bottom of the casing.

The interior of the under portion of the shank is recessed so that a ball 19 may be in terposed between the upper portion of the recess and the post 21 extending upward from the bottom of the casing. As the ball and bearing surface are completely inclosed by the shank and occur above the plane of -the plate 17, it is diflicultfor any foreign matter to come in contact with the bearing.

The shank 1G is preferably square in cross section and secured thereto is the gear or pinion 22. The turntables 13 are rotated by meansof reciprocating rods 23 provided with rack teeth portions 24 engaging the pinions 22.

The groove 15 in the turntable is disposed so that the inner edge thereof is spaced from the center of the turntable, and that portion of the surface of the turntable which constitutes the tread and with which the wheel of the car engages constitutes a diameter' of i the turntable. In this construction the weight of the car comes on the center line of the turntable and therefore the turntable is not subjected to thc bending Strain that would occur it the groove was in the center and the tread portion to one side. On account of this construction of the turntables, that is, that the groove is not diametrieally placed, the'successive turntables must be ro Atated'in opposite directions, in order thatV the groove and tread 'portions thereofwill become alined with the groove and tread portions "of the 'rails To accomplish this opposite rotation of the successive turntables, the rack rods are formed so that they .mesh on opposite sides of the pinions on the .successive turntables. This may be accomplished by bending the .rack rod and torming the successive racks on opposite Sides thereof.

In one rail of each track at a suitable diswheel of a horse drawn or other vehicle may tance from the intersection of the rails the `upper portion of the rail is increased in width preferably on the side adjacent the groove 25 and a separate longitudinal groove 26, is formed therein. The groove is not necessarily formed integral with; the rail, but such construction is believed to b e preferable. The groove 26 is narrower in cross section than the groove 25 so that the other end of the lever 33 is attached to the link 36 which is in turn connected to the lug 37 on the rack bar. The depression of the lunger 28 causes the rack bar ,tomove longitudinally and 'rotate the turntable.

In order to insure the movement of the rack bar through its complete movement so that the turntables will be moved to cause the tread portions thereon to become alined with the tread portions of the rails we provide the lever 38 fulcrumed to theweb of' l the rail at 39, andhaving itsl lower arm 41l pivotally secured to the link 36 and the free 100 arm 42 thereof being provided at'its upper.;v extremity with a transverse racew'ay 43,' i adapted to contain the ball 44. In opera-- tion the plungeris depressed whereby the rod 23 and link' 36 are caused to move'i'n'1'05 the proper direction. As the arm 414 of the lever 38'is connected to the saidli'nk the movement of the link causes the arm 41 to move therewith and when more than .onef half of the throw is completed theracewey 1'10 43 becomes inclined, causing the balll44tof 3 roll toward the opposite extremity tlidereof,` shifting the Weight thereto and causing thelower arm of the lever and eqnseqluentlythe reduce the'l ment in the proper direction alinement of the grooves. The reciprocating -rods :23E arefprovided with a plurality of rack ortions 24 engaging the pinioris 22. A p ungerfjs arranged in one rail of each track andmeans lare provitled for interconl'iectinl all ofthe turntables, so' that the depresslon of, one plunger causes all of the turntables in the crossing to move at the same time. 'Each rod 23 en- 125 gages all of the turntables in that rail and on account of the intersectin of rails, all of the turntables are operated y the depression of any one plunger. A

In the present elbodiment of the inven- 11o sent continuous rails in tracks (D) and (E).

The second plunger is arranged to be in its upper position when the first plunger is depressed aiid as soon as the car has passed over the secon( plunger and has depressed the saine the turntables present continuous rails to the transrerse tracks l? and G'.

Any suitable means may be provided for depressing trie plunger. ln the presentcase have shown a lever d8 pivotally secured to car truck at i9. The upper end of the lever ieaches up into the car where vit is controlled by the operator. At the lower end olf the lever is arranged a roller 5l whicliis movable into the groove 26, and this roller is preferably located in the vertical plane passing through an axle of the car so that the roller will not be shifted laterally with respect to theJ rail when the rail is curved.

Under certain conditions it is often desirable that the operator on the car may be warned as to the position of the turntables, while at a distance therefrom in order that the car or train may be brought to a` standstill before crossing the tracks if necessary.

ln this case 'the first plunger is placed at av greater distance Jironi the turntables and a semaphore is provided near the crossings which is connected to the rack rods by a suitable sprocket 53 and chain -l or similar mechanisz lVe claim l. lfhe combination with a plurality oit intersecting railroad rails, of casing formed at each intersection, a grooved tu 'able arranged in each casing,-a recessed i pending t'roinv said turntable, a ball arraiiged in said recessed shank, and tor rotating said turntable.

The combination with aplurality of intersccting railroad rails, of a casing formed at each intersection. a grooved turntablearranged in each casing, a hollow shank de pe ding centrally from said turntable, a post having a concave upper end extending ini the b`V oni ot said casing into the hol lor-i portion or" said shank, a ball arranged between the root` ot said hollow portion and said post. and means tor rotating said turntable.

il. rlie combination with a plurality ot' intersecting railroad rails, of a casing formed at erich intersection, a grooved turntable ard in each casing, a hollow shank det pending cvntrally from said turntable, a ball between the turntable and said casing arranged in said hollow portion, a plate secured to said shank, and means for 'rotating said turntable.

l. The combination with a plurality of intersecting railroad rails, ot' a casing foi-ined at each intersection, a grooved turntable ar'- ranged in each casing, a hollow shank depending centrally from said turntable, a

ball between the turntable and casing ary ranged in said hollow portion, a plate secured to the lower end ot' said shank and extending outward therefrom to the casing, said casing being provided with apertures adjacent the ends of said plate, and means :tor rotating said turntable.

5. The combination with a plurality of intersecting railroad rails, of a casing formed at each intersection, a groored turntable ar ranged in each casing, a hollow shank depending centrally froin said turntable, a ball in said hollow shank disposed between the turntable and the casing, a pinionfsecured engaging said pinion, a plunger adapted to be depressed arranged on one of said rails, a lever engaging said plunger, and a link secured to said rack rod and attached to the free end of said lever.

6. The combination with a. plurality of intersecting railroad rails, of a casing formed at each intersection, a grooved turntable arranged iri each casing, a hollow shank depending centrally rom said turntable, a ball in said hollow shank disposed between the turntable and the casing, a pinion secured to said turntable, a reciprocating rack rod engaging said pinion, a plunger adapted to be depressed arranged on one of said rails, a projection on said plunger, a lever secured to said rail provided with a bifurcated end engaging said plunger projection, and a link connecting the other end of the lever with said rack rod.

7. The combination with a plurality of intersecting railroad rails, of a. casing formed at each intersection, a turntable arranged in each casing, a pinion secured to each turntable, a rack rod engaging said pinion, means for moving said rack rod in opposite directions, and means connected to said rack rodv for insuring the completion of the movement in either direction.

8. The combination with a plurality of intersecting railroad rails, of a casing formed at each intersection, a turntable arranged in each casing, a pinion secured to each turn table, a rack rod engaging said pinion, a lever pivoted to said .rail and connected to said rod, a runway provided on the free end ot said lever, aball in said runway, and nieans for moving said rod.

9. Thecoinbination with a plurality of in tersecting rails7 of a casing formed at each intersection, a turntable arranged in each cas-v lto said turntable, a reciprocatingirack rod ing, a pinion secured to said turntable, :1, re- In testimony whereof, We have hereunto 3.0 ciprczxtng rack rod engaging said pinion, a set our hands at Oaklan, California, this plunger' adapted to be depressed isposed in Slet day of Ocober, 1914.

an aperture in said rail, a lever engaging said plunger, a link connecting said. rofl and Said lever, n, second lever pivoted on Said rail i und connected to said link, a runway prou 'presence ofvided on the free end of said lever, and a S. T. CHAPIN,

ball in said runway. E. W. Aisnemooxi, 

